Manifold heater for internal-combustion engines



and

APPLICATION FILED-.NOV 9, i921.

A. G. BRIDGFORD AND S. B. BOLTON.

MANIFOLD HEATER FOR INTERNAL CIVIBUSTION ENGINES.

I ||I|y|.

AAAA

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 9 I92I.

Patented Aug. 22., 1922.

.milie 6.0.5

,. entre@ stares Partnr cartes.

ARCHIE G. BRGFORD AND SIDNEY B. BL'IN, 0F AiED, ILJTJINES; SAID BGLTON JASSIGNOR T0 SAU) BRDG-FORD.

MANIFOLD HEATER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION JEBI'GERN'ES.'l

Melrose.,

Specification of Letters lPatent Patented Aug. 222, 1922i.,

Application iled November 9, 1921. Serial No. 514,023. l

use the'same.

The present invention relates to a device for heating the manifolds ofinternal com` bustion engines and facilitating starting yof the same. r

Anzobject of the present invention is to vaporize the ordinary fuelforthe engine by bringing the fuel into4 contact with heat and ignitingthe vapor by an electric current vof the usual high tension.

. may

Another object 'of the present-invention is to provide a heater whichmay be controlled from the instrument board of an automobile, or thelike, and which may utilize the electric energy of the storage batteryof the automobile for setting the heater in operation.

A further ob'ect 'of this invention is to provide aA mani old heaterwherein the fuel for the engine may be utilized for operating theheater, and wherein means is provided for cutting olf v the supplyi offuel. tothe heater after the latter has been operated suiliciently toheat the manifold, and to thus prevent waste of fuel after the enginehas been started.

The invention still further aims at the provision of a device of thischaracter which be embodied in the construction of the manifold; whichmay be installed. upon an engine without altering the arrangement andconstruction of its parts; and which may be uickly and easily connectedto the source of fuelsupply andto the source of electric energyof theusual automobile.l

Our present invention relates to certain apparatus similar to thatdescribed but not claimed in our oopending application,`Ser. No.525,106, filed Dec. 27, v1921, and entitled Manifold heaters `forinternal combustion engines.

With the'foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully `dand exact description of the `in scribed hereinaftenand will bemore particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts through out lthe several views,

Fig. 1 1s a vertical Sect-ion, partly diagrammatic, showinga manifoldheater constructed according to the present invention.. Fig. 2 1s avertical section taken axially at right angles to the showing in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevationvof a portion ofy i the lower end of thecasing of the heater.

Referring to the drawings, the body part of thef device may be vmade inthe form of lan integral casting, as shown, and which has a horizontalpipe or manifold portion 10 adapted to be connected to the side of anengine in theusual manner, and which has an intermediate branch andintake connection 11 which is arranged for connection with a carbureteror other source of supply.' Surrounding the juncture of the portions 10vand 11 is a heater casing 12 which extends above and below the manifoldand which, at its upper`end, is preferably reduced in cross sectionalarea and rounded to provide an annular flange 13 over` which isdetachably threaded a cap 14. The cap 14 has a closed top and ispreferably provided in its side with a circular row of perforations orvents 15 through which consumed gases and air may escape. The cap 14also has a reticulated screen 16 therein placed below the openings 15,and which is adapted to prevent flame from passin upwardly through thecap.

The'V lower endofl the casing 12 is also reduced to provide an airinl/et 17, upwardly through which air may circulate forpromot-A ingcombustion within the casing. The' cas- 4ing 12 has a large opening 18din one sidel which is normally closed by a combined sup' porting andcover plate 19 held against the exterior side of the casing 12 byremovable fastening devices 20, such as screws, as shown in Fig. 3.rl`he plate 19 carries upon Aits inner side a receptacle y21 which isopen at its top and which is arranged to receive receptacle 21.

providing a measuring chamber 27 therebe tween of sufficient size tocontain a single charge of fuel from the tank pipe 28 for heating themanifold.

Fitting over the upper end of the receptacle 21 is an electricresistance coil or heater 30 which is encased in a jacket or band 31 -ofmetal or other suitable material, and which at one endv is connected toan insulated binding post 32 detachably secured in the cover plate 19and at its other end is grounded in the receptacle 21. A hood 33surrounds the burner and is spaced about and slightly above' the upperend of the Vapor accumulating at the top ofthe wick rises in the hood 33and spreads over the top of the wick 22 in moving upwardly through thecasing 12. The plate 19 also carries a spark plug 34 the electrode ofwhich projects into the hood 33 and in slightly spaced apart relation tothe top edge of the receptacle 21. When the spark plug is closed incircuit, it isl adapted to ignite the gas or vapor in the hood 33. Theburning vapor rising through the hood is brought into. contact with thetop of the wick 22 and consequently the wick is lighted.

A control rod 35 is mounted in any suitble manner for controlling theclosing of e electric circuits, and for controlling the feed of fuel tothe receptacle 21. This rod 35 may be connected to a supporting arm 36carried `upon a rod 37 which projects outwardly from the plate 19. Thecontrol rod 35 carries a stud 40 which operates in a slot 41 formed inone end of a bell crank lever 42, the other end of which is pivoted to alink 42a connecting together the arms of the -valves 25 and 29, so thatwhen the control rod 35 is pulled in a downward direction, as shown inFig. 1, the valves will change position. When the Valve 25 is closed asshown, the valve 29 is open so that liquid from pipe 28 fills themeasuring section 27, and when the valves change position the flow frompipe 28 is cut off and the liquid flows from the section 27 into thereceptacle 21 and is raised through wick 22.

The control rod 35 also carries a spring contact 43 arranged to wipe theend of the post 32 and connected to a wire 45-which leads from a sourceof electrical energy, such as a storage battery 46, the circuit havingtherein a lamp 48 or other suitable indicator for showing when thecircuit through the wire 45 is closed. The indicator or lamp 48 may begrounded as shown at 47.' Thev vibrating coil 50 may be connected bybranch wire 44 to the end of the post 32 and include the coil 50 in thecircuit when the contact 43 is closed. Also a high tension `lead 49 fromvibrating Vcoil 50 extends to the spark plug 34.

It is apparent that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1,the post 32 and Vibrating coil 50 Aare closed in the circuit with thebattery 46, and the heating coil 30 getting to operate the control-rodafter the engine was started to extinguish the heater. After themanifold 10 ,has been heated to the desired extent, the control rod 35is drawn downwardly to open the electric circuit and to open the valve29 'and close the valve 25. plenished with the fuel so that the deviceis automatically placed in condition for subsequent use.

With the foregoing and other .objects in view, the invention will bemore fully de- The receptacle 21 is now red scribed hereinafter, andwill'be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto. 1

What is claimed is:

1. ln a manifold heater, a casing adapted to embrace a manifold,a burnerin the bottom of the casing, a perforated cap closing the upperl end ofthe casing and having a leading to the burner, and a manual controlconnected'to the fuel supply meansand to said initial yigniting. meansfor alternately energizing the initial means and cutt-ln oif the su plyof fuel, substantially as descrl ed.

2. n a manifold heater, a casing adapted to embrace a manifold, a burnerin the casing, a vaporizing element in the casing about the burneradapted to heat and vaporize fuel in the burner, means for igniting thevaporized fuel for lighting the burner, a valve controlling ow of fuelto the burner, and a single control element connected to the vaporizer,igniter and the` valve for simultanean electric igniter projecting intoclose prox- I imity 'to the burner to ignite the vapor formed thereat',a valve regulating the supply of fuel to the burner, and a singleoperative element connected to said heater, igniter and annabee @j tosaid valve for simultaneously eperating the same to close said valvewhen said heater and ignitor are operated, substantially as described.

4c. ln a manifold heater, a casing adapted to embrace a manifold, abattery, a burner, an igniter for the burner, a visual signal disposedbetween the battery and the 4igniter, a valve controlling the flow offuel to the burner, and connections arranged between the valve andigniter for alternately actuating the same 'to ignite the burner andsimultaneously cut offl the supply offuel thereto to prevent burning ofthe fuel beyond a predetermined period of time, substantially asdescribed.

5. ln a manifold heater, a casin adapted to enclose a manifold, a burnerin t e casing, a fuel supply pipe leading to the burner, a pair` ofspaced apart valves in said pipe to provide a measuring section therein,means connecting said valves together to alternatel open and close thevalves, heating means fdr the burner for vaporizing the fuel therein,ignition means in the casing for igniting the vapor, whereby the vapormay light the burner, and operating means for controlling the change ofthe valves and the operation of the heating and igniting means, wherebypredetermined qualities of fuel may be supplied to the burner, and thefuel may be vaporized and ignited, substantially as described.

6. ln a manifold heater, a casing arranged to embrace a manifold andhaving openings in its top and bottom, a removable plate closing oneside of the casing at its lower end, a burner receptacle mounted on theplate and projecting into the casing, fuel feeding means carried by theplate and connected to the receptacle, a heating device carried by thereceptacle for vaporizing fuel therein, a delector carried by the plateand surrounding the upper end of the receptacle, and igniting meansmounted on the plate in proximity to the upper end of the receptacle forlighting fuel vaporized by said heating de.

vice.

ARCHE G. BRIDGFRD. SllDNEY B. BLTON,

